History
Jessie Ball duPont founded the duPont Awards in memory of her late husband, Alfred I. duPont. In 1942, eight years after he passed away, the first duPont Awards were held in the St. Regis hotel in New York. Those first awards were just for radio, but in 1950 the duPonts began honoring journalistic work in the burgeoning medium of television.
In 1968, the duPont Awards came to Columbia University becoming the duPont-Columbia University Awards. Since that time they have been housed at Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism.
As part of the award’s continued commitment to honoring new mediums, in 2010 the first duPont was awarded for online reporting. Each year the duPont Jury, comprised of leading audio, video, documentary, and digital journalists, selects winners that range from local television, to podcasts, to theatrically released documentaries. For over 80 years the duPont Silver Baton has stood for excellence in reporting, and commitment to the highest journalistic ideals.